蜜桃交友

By Christopher Wells

Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, the chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace, has commended the decision of the Biden administration to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism – a decision the White House certified to Congress on Tuesday, 14 January.

Earlier, in July of last year, Bishop Zaidan had written to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to make the move, and “to maximize our country’s engagement for the good of the Cuban people.”

In his statement following Tuesday’s decision, Bishop Zaidan noted that “for decades, in conjunction with the Holy See, the Cuban bishops, and the majority of the international community, the USCCB has urged collaboration and mutually beneficial relations between the United States and Cuba, as well as the full lifting of the economic embargo against the island nation.”

The bishop went on to express his hope that “that this policy shift renews our country’s bilateral engagement on Cuba, and that it prompts both the United States and Cuba to explore a greater degree of collaboration, including bilateral trade and greater access to travel between our nations.”

Bishop Zaidan repeated the bishops’ position that “Cuba needs more engagement from the United States, not less,” adding, “it is precisely through a greater commitment to bilateral collaboration and cooperation that positive change will come for the Cuban people, including cultural exchange and a stronger economy.”

Cuba begins to free prisoners

Earlier this week, and following President Biden’s announcement of the decision to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, the Cuban government said it would release 553 prisoners convicted of various crimes “in the spirit of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025 declared by Pope Francis.”

A statement from Cuba’s foreign ministry noted that Pope Francis and Cuban president Díaz-Canel in August 2022 had touched on the topics of the plight of prisoners and US policy towards Cuba.

In remarks to Pope following the news from Cuba, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said, “It is significant that Havana authorities linked this decision directly to Pope Francis appeal, who, in the Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee, and then on several other occasions, called for acts of clemency, as has often occurred during the Holy Year.”

Cuba has already released dozens of prisoners, including José Daniel Ferrer García, considered one of the principal leaders of opposition to the government. More prisoners are expected to be released in the coming days and weeks.